My area of study is religious humour. Some of the links above are to cartoons which some people may find offensive. For instance, the 'Jesus and Mo' cartoon and the Mohammed Image Archive depict the prophet Mohammed. I intend no offense in linking to these sites.

Monday, August 14, 2006

The Subconscious, and the strange things that lurk therein

At the moment, I am reading Freud's The Joke and Its Relation to the Unconscious. Funnily enough (just HILARIOUSLY, in fact), this post has almost nothing to do with Freud, save the fact that a memory just trickled down through the recesses of my brain and oozed into my conscious.

So, being in a high state of procrastination, I thought I'd blog about it.

Here's the memory (hope it comes across as at least mildly amusing; when I first experienced it I think it kept me chuckling for several days [this is perhaps an indication of hos sad I really am...]):

Our cleaning lady's daughter had come over, with her mother, to our house. While her mother was cleaning, she sat, staring determinedly at a printed A4 piece of paper.I went about my business, not really noticing what she was reading.She remained sitting. Staring. Almost frowning at the paper.Hours passed.She still had not moved.The frown remained.Same sheet of paper - one sided A4 sheet.She continued in this manner for almost of three hours.Motionless.Silent.Finally, I glanced at the title of the paper she was reading.It read: "Excellent Jokes"

Not laughing? Hey, just because I study humour, doesn't mean I'm funny! :S

Supposedly, there were 'Excellent Jokes' on the sheet. Perhaps I didn't stress it enough, but what I found funny is that she stared at a whole page of 'excellent' jokes for three hours and didn't giggle, cackle, or even crack a smile. I'll see whether there're any tricks up my 'edit post' sleeve...

I wonder, are all 'fictional religions' 'parody religions'? Is THAT what makes them fictitious - the fact that there are no 'true believers'? Or, is 'fictona religion' a term used when describing religions that appear in fiction but not in real life. If this were the case, Robotology would be a fictional religion, while Pastafarianism (in my 'links') would be a 'parody religin'.

Humour:the quality that makes something laughable or amusing; that which is intended to induce laughter or amusement; the ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is amusing, comical, incongruous, or absurd.